What Families Have Said About Working With Us
The accounts below are shared by clients who agreed to have their experiences described on this page. Names are included with permission. Details that could identify specific family circumstances have been adjusted.
Back to Home14+
Years in Practice
480+
Families Assisted
4.9
Average Rating
6
Countries Covered
Accounts From Families We Have Worked With
Lim Boon Seng
George Town, Penang
My father passed away without a will, and we were left with property in Penang and a bank account in Singapore that no one knew how to access. Razif explained everything without making us feel foolish for not knowing where to start. We eventually recovered the Singapore account, and the process — while not quick — was far less bewildering than I had feared it would be.
April 2025 — Foreign Asset Inheritance
Siti Rahimah Tamby
Butterworth, Penang
I came to Bicara Waris after my mother was diagnosed with a serious illness and she wanted to prepare an advance directive. The conversation we had with the advisor — including my mother, my sister, and myself — was one of the most dignified and considered discussions I can remember having about something so difficult. The document reflected exactly what my mother wanted to say.
March 2025 — Living Will Drafting
Khoo Hui Ling
Tanjung Bungah, Penang
We set up a family trust for our children — they are young, and my husband and I wanted to ensure the house and savings would be managed thoughtfully if anything were to happen to us both. The process took about six weeks, which was a little longer than we had expected, but the final deed was exactly as we had discussed. Nurul was particularly helpful in explaining the practical administration side.
April 2025 — Trust Establishment
Muhammad Azri
Georgetown, Penang
My late uncle held shares in a company registered in Hong Kong, and we had no idea how to begin recovering them. Bicara Waris took on the case and coordinated with a firm in Hong Kong — something I would not have known how to do myself. It took four months from start to finish, but we succeeded in transferring the shareholding. The fee was fair for the amount of work involved.
February 2025 — Foreign Asset Inheritance
Tan Nee Hoon
Nibong Tebal, Penang
I had drafted my own advance directive years ago, and it was a mess — vague language and no clear instructions about who should speak for me. Bicara Waris reviewed it with me and produced a clear replacement. The advisor was patient and never made me feel embarrassed that the original was inadequate. The document now says clearly what I want.
May 2025 — Living Will Drafting
Rajan Pillay
Bayan Lepas, Penang
We established a discretionary trust for our daughter, who has complex support needs and will require long-term assistance. The advisor took time to understand her situation and the specific provisions we wanted included. The trust deed addresses things we had not even thought to raise. The process was thorough and we felt well-informed throughout.
March 2025 — Trust Establishment
Detailed Client Journeys
The following accounts are composite case studies drawn from multiple similar engagements. Identifying details have been changed.
A Family With Property in Three Countries
Foreign Asset Inheritance — Resolved over 5 months
The Situation
An adult son came to us following his father's death. The estate included a property in Penang, a savings account in Singapore, and a small residential property in Melbourne that had been purchased 25 years earlier. No will had been prepared. The three children had not agreed on how to proceed.
Our Approach
We conducted separate sessions with the eldest child and then a joint session with all three siblings to map the assets and agree a common approach. We coordinated with a solicitor in Singapore and a barrister in Melbourne, and prepared the documentation required for each jurisdiction. In Malaysia, we applied for letters of administration through the High Court.
The Outcome
All three estates were eventually transferred to the three children. The Singapore account was released within six weeks of the letters of administration being granted. The Melbourne property took longer — approximately four months — owing to the Victorian probate process. All three children reported satisfaction with the outcome.
Preparing an Advance Directive During a Period of Illness
Living Will & Advance Directive — Completed in 3 weeks
The Situation
A retired teacher in her late sixties, recently diagnosed with a degenerative neurological condition, wished to record her healthcare preferences before her capacity to make decisions might be affected. She was concerned that her family might make different choices on her behalf if no written record existed.
Our Approach
We held an initial session with her alone, and a second session with her husband and eldest daughter. The advisor explained the legal standing of advance directives in Malaysia and drafted a document that addressed her specific preferences around resuscitation, artificial nutrition, and the appointment of a healthcare proxy. We also prepared a plain-language letter for her to keep with her medical records.
The Outcome
The directive was signed and copies distributed to her family and her neurologist. She described the process as one that had given her considerable peace of mind. We were contacted two months later by her daughter to say that the document had already been referenced during a hospital consultation and had been helpful in guiding the medical team's approach.
Establishing a Family Trust for Two Young Children
Trust Establishment — Completed in 4 weeks
The Situation
A couple in their early forties with two children, aged seven and ten, wished to ensure that their principal assets — a house in Penang and a portfolio of unit trusts — would be managed for their children's benefit if both parents were to die before the children reached adulthood. They were particularly concerned about appointing appropriate trustees.
Our Approach
We explained the structure and operation of a discretionary family trust, and discussed the qualities and responsibilities of a trustee. The couple appointed two trustees — a sibling and a close family friend — after discussion with those individuals. The trust deed included provisions for the children's education costs, living expenses, and a clause governing distribution on the younger child reaching the age of 25.
The Outcome
The trust was established and the deed executed. The couple described feeling significantly more settled about their family's future. We provided a plain-language administration guide for the appointed trustees, explaining their responsibilities and record-keeping obligations without requiring them to read the deed in full.
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